Pay-as-You-Go
$0.0001/1K tokens

Starting price. Actual cost varies by model. All prices in USD.

New sign-ups get 100,000 free tokens. No credit card required to start.
Get Free API Key →

Model Pricing

Prices updated live from OpenRouter routing. Final cost confirmed at time of request.

Model Input (per 1K tokens) Output (per 1K tokens) Context Window
gpt-4o $0.004 $0.016 128K
gpt-4o-mini $0.00012 $0.00048 128K
gpt-4-turbo $0.01 $0.03 128K
claude-3-5-sonnet $0.003 $0.015 200K
claude-3-5-haiku $0.0008 $0.004 200K
gemini-1.5-pro $0.002 $0.008 2M
gemini-1.5-flash $0.000075 $0.0003 1M
llama-3.1-70b $0.00088 $0.00088 128K
llama-3.1-8b $0.00022 $0.00022 128K
mistral-large $0.002 $0.006 128K
mistral-7b $0.00014 $0.00014 32K
qwen-2.5-72b $0.001 $0.003 32K

vs. Going Direct

Most models are cheaper through Lobsters Token than buying directly from the provider.

ModelOpenAI DirectLobsters TokenSavings
gpt-4o input $0.005 $0.004 20% off
gpt-4o-mini input $0.00015 $0.00012 20% off
claude-3.5-sonnet input $0.003 $0.0024 20% off
gemini-1.5-pro input $0.0035 $0.002 43% off

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a credit card to start?

Yes, a valid payment method is required to purchase tokens. However, every new account receives 100,000 free tokens — so you can start building before spending anything.

How do I pay?

Stripe-powered payments. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and many more. Payments are charged in USD.

Can I set spending limits?

Yes. Set daily, weekly, or monthly spending caps in your dashboard. We'll cut off usage when the limit is reached — no surprise bills.

What happens if I exceed my usage limit?

We'll notify you at 80% and 100% of your spending limit. Your service won't be interrupted without advance notice.

Do you offer refunds?

Unused prepaid credits are refundable within 30 days of purchase. Contact support with your account details.

What's included in the free tier?

100,000 free tokens on sign-up. No time limit — use them whenever you're ready. Sufficient for ~5,000–10,000 ChatGPT-4 class queries.

How accurate are the prices?

Prices reflect OpenRouter's live routing fees plus our margin. They update periodically. The price at the time of your API call is what you pay.

Start building today.

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